Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness

Spring Crossing-West Fork of Fishtrap Creek to Moose Lake

May 11th to 15th, 2007

With the main teeth of winter pulled I made it across the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness in May of 2007. Make no mistake, I blew it when spring fever took me out on my final April trip, which took me to the summit of East and West Goat Peaks, plus Saddle Mountain. Had I gone when I originally planned to I would have encountered snow that would have held my weight and the weight of my pack. As it were, I got into all kinds of trouble with all that postholing through the spring slush.

Then there was the spring runoff that had begun in earnest. Fast and deep running creeks are always a thrill to work with. Fortunately for this one time only, a low snowpack winter created a low spring run-off. As it were, some of the crossings had plenty of thrill without the joy. In a normal year those same creek forgings attempted, more than likely would have been just that, attempted.

I made the wilderness crossing in five days. It began on the West Fork of Fishtrap Creek and ended on the road that crosses Carpp Creek and near the Moose Lake Settlements. The Vote Smart organization in a generous and non partisan act let me make a long distance call to my wife and ride.

The route took me to Warren Lake and into the West Fork of Le Marche Creek canyon, which had done gotten mean, but not before the "trail" from the lake kicked my hiney very nicely. It was on the nasty drop off of Warren that I did my first genuine and no-holds barred, face-plant. Not a very big deal since no one was there to laugh. Well, there were those moments when I struggled to get some air, what with the pack holding me down like that and the snowshoes postholed in the cement-like snowpack.

On the fourth day and at 9000 feet I spotted a well used wolverine den opening, but no critter. I photographed it and its incredible neighborhood before moving on, vowing a return with my wife and our dog friend Monte, come the summer.

I also spotted flowers at 9600 feet, a sure sign that winter was all done in, mostly. It was right after that I made a pot of coffee at 9800 feet on the summit of an unnamed peak and on the Continental Divide.

On the fifth day the heat hit hard, but I saw it coming. So with an early morning start I dropped off the top of the world and into the Carpp Creek drainage. Ten miles and eleven hours later I staggered into the Vote Smart compound with finished smeared all over me. rgl.